Nanotechnology General News

(Nanowerk News) FEI Company, a leading provider of high-resolution imaging and analysis systems, announced today the installation of a solution based upon FEI’s Tecnai™ Spirit cryo-transmission electron microscope (TEM) and three-dimensional (3D) tomography software at Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd., Mumbai, India. Sun Pharmaceutical will use FEI’s 3D imaging solution for quality control of drug-loaded vesicles to speed up the development of new therapeutics.

“The cost of developing drugs and bringing new products to market is enormous and rising yearly; having access to accurate and timely information is essential for making decisions on compounds in our pipeline,” said Dr. Subhas Bhowmick, vice president formulation development, Sun Pharmaceutical. “We will use the FEI 3D imaging solution to gain a better understanding of the behavior of the drug in the human body in an effort to develop therapeutics that not only are more effective, but also exhibit reduced side effects. The information will also help us to shorten the drug development process and bring new therapeutics to market faster.”

Cryo-TEM allows life science researchers to study biological systems in their native, hydrated state and obtain unique information about the particle structure and function. Other (non-cryo) microscopy and preparation techniques can damage the fragile biological sample and do not preserve the structure needed for 3D reconstruction information. FEI’s tomography software allows for the system’s automation to acquire and process thousands of images unattended. FEI’s 3D imaging solution can also aid in the pharmaceutical production process; for example, new drug delivery techniques, such as encapsulating a drug in a liposome, can be monitored during production by visualizing the particle. These new drug delivery techniques utilize labeled liposomes that are transferred directly to the site of interest (such as a tumor cell) and enable targeted delivery of drugs without harming healthy tissue.

“We are pleased that Sun Pharmaceutical, one of India’s largest and most innovative pharmaceutical companies, has invested in FEI’s 3D imaging solution with the Tecnai Spirit TEM and tomography software package. The system will be used for research on some very exciting drug delivery systems, and we look forward to providing our support and expertise in this area,” said Matthew Harris, vice president and general manager of FEI’s Life Science Division. “FEI is an ideal partner for ultra-structural investigation of small particles like proteins, viruses, liposomes, etc., and our solutions are specifically designed for the unique requirements of high-resolution life science imaging.”

Sun Pharmaceutical is an international pharmaceutical company that makes many generic and brand name drugs for worldwide distribution. Sun manufactures both pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients (API), and its products are used in several therapeutic areas, including oncology, psychiatry, neurology, cardiology, diabetology, gastroenterology, respiratory and orthopedics. FEI’s 3D imaging solution has been installed in the Sun Pharma Advanced Research Centre located in Vadodara, Gujarat, India.